Communication apparatus and communication method for multi-link setup and link maintenance

Abstract

Communication devices and methods for multi-link setup and link maintenance are provided. One exemplary embodiment provides a first station (STA) included in a first plurality of STAs affiliated with a first Multi-link Device (MLD), the first STA comprising: circuitry, which in operation, generates a request frame, the request frame comprising request information; and a transmitter, which in operation, transmits the request frame to a second STA to request a multi-link setup, wherein the second STA is included in a second plurality of STAs affiliated with a second MLD, and wherein the multi-link setup establishes one or more links between one or more STAs of the first plurality of STAs and corresponding one or more STAs of the second plurality of STAs based on the request information.

1 . An Access Point (AP) Multi-link Device (MLD) comprising:
 a receiver, which in operation, receives from a non-Access Point (non-AP) MLD an Association Request frame that includes a MLD MAC Address field indicating a MLD MAC address of the non-AP MLD, a link-specific MAC address subfield indicating a MAC address that corresponds to one of requested links, and link specific information of the requested links;   control circuitry, which in operation, determines whether to accept each of the requested links based on the link specific information; and   a transmitter, which in operation, transmits an Association Response frame that indicates accepted link(s), over which one or more links is to be established between the AP MLD and the non-AP MLD.   
     
     
         2 . The AP MLD according to  claim 1 , wherein the Association Request frame includes a Multi-Link element that includes a common information field for specifying the MAC address of the non-AP MLD. 
     
     
         3 . The AP MLD according to  claim 1 , wherein the Association Request frame includes a Multi-Link element that includes one or more link information fields, each link information field indicating one of the requested links and its link specific information. 
     
     
         4 . The AP MLD according to  claim 1 , wherein the link specific information includes operational parameters of the requested links. 
     
     
         5 . The AP MLD according to  claim 1 , wherein
 prior to multi-link setup,   the receiver, in operation, receives an Authentication frame comprising a MAC address of the non-AP MLD for multi-link authentication; and   the transmitter, in operation, transmits an Authentication response frame.   
     
     
         6 . The AP MLD according to  claim 1 , wherein the receiver, in operation, receives a Multi-link Re-setup Request frame for establishing a new link between the AP MLD and the non-AP MLD, the new link being independent of the established one or more links. 
     
     
         7 . The AP MLD according to  claim 1 , wherein the Association Request frame is received on a link that the non-AP MLD desires to use as part of multi-link setup. 
     
     
         8 . The AP MLD according to  claim 7 , wherein the Association Response frame is transmitted on the link on which the Association Request frame is received. 
     
     
         9 . The AP MLD according to  claim 1 , wherein the AP MLD includes a plurality of associated APs and the non-AP MLD includes a plurality of associated stations (STAs), and multiple links are to be set up between the plurality of associated APs and the plurality of associated STAs over different frequency channels. 
     
     
         10 . A communication method for an Access Point (AP) Multi-link Device (MLD), the communication method comprising:
 receiving, from a non-Access Point (non-AP) MLD, an Association Request frame that includes a MLD MAC Address field indicating a MLD MAC address of the non-AP MLD, a link-specific MAC address subfield indicating a MAC address that corresponds to one of requested links, and link specific information of the requested links;   determining whether to accept each of the requested links based on the link spec information; and   transmitting an Association Response frame that indicates accepted link(s), over which one or more links is to be established between the AP MLD and the non-AP MLD.   
     
     
         11 . The communication method according to  claim 10 , wherein the Association Request frame includes a Multi-Link element that includes a common information field for specifying the MAC address of the non-AP MLD. 
     
     
         12 . The communication method according to  claim 10 , wherein the Association Request frame includes a Multi-Link element that includes one or more link information fields, each link information field indicating one of the requested links and its link specific information. 
     
     
         13 . The communication method according to  claim 10 , wherein the link specific information includes operational parameters of the requested links. 
     
     
         14 . The communication method according to  claim 10 , wherein
 prior to multi-link setup,   receiving an Authentication frame comprising a MAC address of the non-AP MLD for multi-link authentication; and   transmitting an Authentication response frame.   
     
     
         15 . The communication method according to  claim 10 , the communication method comprising:
 receiving a Multi-link Re-setup Request frame for establishing a new link between the AP MLD and the non-AP MLD, the new link being independent of the established one or more links.   
     
     
         16 . The communication method according to  claim 10 , wherein the Association Request frame is received on a link that the non-AP MLD desires to use as part of multi-link setup. 
     
     
         17 . The communication method according to  claim 16 , wherein the Association Response frame is transmitted on the link on which the Association Request frame is received. 
     
     
         18 . The communication method according to  claim 10 , wherein the AP MLD includes a plurality of associated APs and the non-AP MLD includes a plurality of associated stations (STAs), and multiple links are to be set up between the plurality of associated APs and the plurality of associated STAs over different frequency channels.